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Home/News/Finance
Trending
technologyEKAN Connect Wants to Turn Every Chat Into a CheckouttechnologyMonrovia Hustle: A Liberian Studio's Bet That West Africa Can Build a Global Video GamestartupsInside HUIX-2099: The Monrovia Studio Building VR, AI and 3D Products for a Global MarkettechnologyWhat a Liberian Open-World Game Says About the Future of African Digital ContentanalysisWhy Prices Still Feel High Even as Inflation CoolsanalysisA Two-Speed Economy: Minerals Race Ahead, Most People Don'tanalysisSteady Taxes, Volatile Spending, Rising Debt: The 2026 BudgetanalysisLumpy Taxes, Volatile Spending, Rising Debt: The 2026 BudgettechnologyEKAN Connect Wants to Turn Every Chat Into a CheckouttechnologyMonrovia Hustle: A Liberian Studio's Bet That West Africa Can Build a Global Video GamestartupsInside HUIX-2099: The Monrovia Studio Building VR, AI and 3D Products for a Global MarkettechnologyWhat a Liberian Open-World Game Says About the Future of African Digital ContentanalysisWhy Prices Still Feel High Even as Inflation CoolsanalysisA Two-Speed Economy: Minerals Race Ahead, Most People Don'tanalysisSteady Taxes, Volatile Spending, Rising Debt: The 2026 BudgetanalysisLumpy Taxes, Volatile Spending, Rising Debt: The 2026 Budget
technology

EKAN Connect Wants to Turn Every Chat Into a Checkout

Liberian-founded EKAN International is building a platform that embeds payments, invoicing and escrow directly into encrypted conversations — betting that in Africa's mobile-first economy, the messaging thread is a better checkout lane than the banking app.

TrueRate·Jun 21, 2026
technology

Monrovia Hustle: A Liberian Studio's Bet That West Africa Can Build a Global Video Game

HUIX-2099, a one-person studio in Monrovia, has released a playable vertical slice of Monrovia Hustle 3D — a story-driven open-world game set in downtown Monrovia. Built solo on a machine with 4 GB of RAM, the project is less a finished product than a calculated proof of concept aimed at investors and partners who want to back African-authored digital content.

TrueRate·Jun 20, 2026
startups

Inside HUIX-2099: The Monrovia Studio Building VR, AI and 3D Products for a Global Market

Founded in 2024, HUIX-2099 is a one-person technology studio in Monrovia working across VR, XR, AI and 3D visualization. With five products already shipped — from an open-source developer tool to a voice-acted open-world game — the studio is testing whether a Liberian company can build globally competitive immersive technology.

TrueRate·Jun 20, 2026
technology

What a Liberian Open-World Game Says About the Future of African Digital Content

The global games industry generates US$184 billion a year. Virtually none of it comes from West Africa. HUIX-2099's Monrovia Hustle is a single data point, but it arrives at a moment when the economics of African-authored digital content are shifting.

TrueRate·Jun 20, 2026
analysis

Why Prices Still Feel High Even as Inflation Cools

Headline inflation has eased to 4.5%, but services prices — restaurants, housing, health — are climbing 6% to 15%, keeping core inflation firm. The split explains why the central bank is holding rates even as the headline rate falls.

TrueRate·Jun 9, 2026
technology
1 / 5

EKAN Connect Wants to Turn Every Chat Into a Checkout

Liberian-founded EKAN International is building a platform that embeds payments, invoicing and escrow directly into encrypted conversations — betting that in Africa's mobile-first economy, the messaging thread is a better checkout lane than the banking app.

TrueRate·Jun 21, 2026

For You

economy

Bottlers Ramp Up 20% as Consumer Spending Holds

Beverage output rose about 20.3% in the year to March 2026, to roughly 4.0 million liters, one of the country's most established manufacturing lines. The growth points to resilient consumer spending and a broadening industrial base.

TrueRate·Jun 1, 2026
commodities

Cement Output Hits a Record as the Building Boom Rolls On

Cement output reached about 89,000 metric tons in March 2026, a record in the monthly series and up about 52.5% on the year, after rising for several straight months. The climb is a clear read on a building upturn.

TrueRate·May 30, 2026
analysis

Incomes Per Person Are Still Climbing Back to 2018 Levels

Real GDP per capita rose about 2.4% in 2025 and is up roughly 12.5% from its 2020 low, but still sits just below where it stood in 2018. The slow climb shows how population growth eats into headline gains.

TrueRate·May 27, 2026
economy

The State's Own Economic Output Barely Grew Last Year

The value of government services rose about 2.7% to US$169 million in 2025, the slowest-growing major part of the economy. Tight budgets and a heavy wage bill leave little room for the state's own contribution to output to expand.

TrueRate·May 25, 2026
commodities

Palm Oil Rebounds to US$173 Million After Volatile Years

Palm oil output was valued at about US$173 million in 2025, up nearly 8.8% on the year and well above its 2020 level, as a crop Liberia has long sought to scale shows signs of recovery. Smallholders and concessions both shape the outcome.

TrueRate·May 22, 2026
economy

Homegrown Steel Output More Than Doubles in a Year

Steel production rose to about 4,267 metric tons in March 2026, up roughly 162.3% from a year earlier, as a domestic industry geared to construction expands. The growth points to import substitution in building materials.

TrueRate·May 20, 2026
economy

Rice: The US$296 Million Staple With Outsized Political Weight

Rice output was valued at about US$296 million in 2025, down from US$350 million a year earlier, even as the grain remains the country's politically charged staple. Heavy import reliance keeps rice prices a perennial flashpoint.

TrueRate·May 17, 2026
commodities

Vast Forests, Idle Trade: Why Forestry Is Stuck

Forestry output from logs and timber was about US$18 million in 2025, below its 2020 level, while recorded round-log production sat at zero through early 2026. A sector with vast resource potential remains one of the economy's quiet underperformers.

TrueRate·May 15, 2026
economy

More Power Flows, yet Few Are Still Connected

Electricity generation climbed about 30.7% over the year to March 2026, and the electricity and water sector grew nearly 13% in 2025 to US$50 million. Yet access remains among the world's lowest, leaving most Liberians reliant on costly alternatives.

TrueRate·May 12, 2026
banking

The Financial Sector Keeps Growing — but Not by Lending to Business

The financial-institutions sector expanded about 6.8% to US$161 million in 2025, a steady climb even as banks lent more to the government than to business. The sector's growth outpaces the credit reaching the private economy.

TrueRate·May 10, 2026
economy

Moving People and Data Grows Into a US$257 Million Business

The transport and communications sector grew about 7.8% to US$257 million in 2025, lifted by mobile services, logistics and the movement of goods. Its steady expansion underpins commerce across an economy where moving goods is costly.

TrueRate·May 7, 2026
economy

A Building Boom Pushes Construction Past US$270 Million

Construction output reached US$270 million in 2025, up about 8.9% on the year and nearly double its 2020 level, as cement production hit records. The building boom is one of the clearest signs of domestic investment beyond the mines.

TrueRate·May 5, 2026
analysis

Imported Goods Hold Steady; It's Local Prices That Are Rising

Imported-item prices were essentially flat over the year to March 2026, up just 0.1%, while domestic prices rose about 5.8%. The split overturns the usual story and points to home-grown costs, not imports, as the live inflation risk.

TrueRate·May 2, 2026
economy

Eating Out Gets 15% Pricier — the Fastest-Rising Cost of All

Prices for restaurants and hotels rose about 14.8% in the year to March 2026, the fastest of any major category and a heavy one at 17% of the basket. The climb reflects rising food, labor and energy costs feeding through to prepared meals and lodging.

TrueRate·Apr 30, 2026
economy

The One Bill That's Getting Cheaper: Phone and Data

Communication prices dropped about 5.0% in the year to March 2026, one of the few categories getting cheaper, as mobile and data competition pushes costs down. The decline is a quiet dividend of Liberia's expanding digital economy.

TrueRate·Apr 27, 2026
economy

Why School Fees Make Education Costs Jump Once a Year

Education prices rose about 3.2% over the year to March 2026, moving in a single step rather than gradually — the signature of fees set once a year. For families, the cost of schooling is a recurring strain in a country betting on its young population.

TrueRate·Apr 25, 2026
economy

Health-Care Costs Climb 6%, and Families Pay Out of Pocket

The health price index rose about 6.1% in the year to March 2026, with a sharp mid-2025 spike, adding to the cost of care in a country where most medical spending is out of pocket. Health carries a 9% weight in the consumer basket.

TrueRate·Apr 22, 2026
economy

Keeping the Lights On Costs 6% More This Year

The cost of housing, water, electricity and fuels rose about 6.1% in the year to March 2026, outpacing headline inflation. With shelter and utilities a fixed monthly burden, the increase squeezes household budgets that have little room to adjust.

TrueRate·Apr 20, 2026
economy

Taxpayers, Not Donors, Are Now Funding the Budget

Tax revenue totaled about US$187.3 million in the first quarter of 2026, holding near US$60 million a month, while grants recorded in the monthly data stayed at zero. The figures show a budget leaning almost entirely on what the country collects itself.

TrueRate·Apr 17, 2026
economy

The Public Payroll Eats a Large Slice of the Budget

Government salaries reached US$40.5 million in December 2025 and dominate recurrent spending, a wage bill that competes directly with investment and debt service. Containing it is among the hardest tasks in Liberian fiscal policy.

TrueRate·Apr 15, 2026
policy

Running Costs Crowd Out Investment in the National Budget

Capital spending collapsed to near zero in early 2026 before a US$50 million March outlay, while recurrent costs absorbed the bulk of the budget. The imbalance leaves little for the roads, power and water that growth depends on.

TrueRate·Apr 12, 2026
policy

Government Spending Lurches Month to Month, Bunching at Year-End

Total government spending ranged from US$33 million in January 2026 to US$193 million in December 2025, a volatility that complicates budgeting and service delivery. Recurrent costs dominate, leaving little that is steady or predictable.

TrueRate·Apr 10, 2026
analysis

Foreign Lenders Hold Almost 60% of the National Debt

External debt reached US$1.63 billion at the end of 2025, about 57.7% of the total stock, against US$1.20 billion owed at home. The split leaves Liberia's repayments tied to foreign currency and the export earnings that supply it.

TrueRate·Apr 7, 2026
economy

Public Debt Climbs to US$2.82 Billion as the Bill Mounts

Total government debt reached US$2.82 billion in December 2025, up about 7.2% on the year, with external creditors holding nearly 58% of the stock. The rising burden narrows the fiscal room for a state already leaning on a handful of commodity exports.

TrueRate·Apr 5, 2026
policy

Money Supply Swells 11% While the Central Bank Holds Steady

Broad money reached L$299.4 billion in March 2026, up 10.7% year-on-year, while the Central Bank held its policy rate at 16.3%. Reserve money surged 31% — fast enough to bear watching against the inflation goal — even as commercial lending rates edged up rather than down.

TrueRate·Apr 3, 2026
economy

Inflation Cools to 4.5%, but the Core Tells a Tougher Story

Headline inflation slowed to 4.5% year-on-year in March 2026 as domestic food prices fell, capping a long disinflation from 2025's double-digit average. But core inflation held near 6% and imported fuel jumped 12% in the month, leaving the Central Bank with reason for caution.

TrueRate·Apr 3, 2026
banking

Banks Are Lending to the Government, Not to Business

Banks' claims on the private sector rose just 0.7% in the year to March 2026 — a decline in real terms — while lending to the central government jumped about 40%. The pattern points to private credit being crowded out, and squares with Liberia's stubbornly high borrowing costs.

TrueRate·Apr 3, 2026
commodities

Gold and Iron Ore Drive Mining Higher as Rubber Falls

Gold, diamond and cement output rose sharply in early 2026, with diamonds more than doubling year-on-year and cement up 52%, while rubber, cocoa and timber production fell. The split captures an economy where mining surges and traditional agriculture struggles.

TrueRate·Apr 2, 2026
commodities

Gold Overtakes Iron Ore as Liberia's Top Export Earner at US$175m

Gold exports reached US$175 million in March 2026, more than double a year earlier and well ahead of iron ore, as output climbed to nearly 38,000 ounces. The metal's rise has reshaped Liberia's export base and helped steady the currency.

TrueRate·Apr 2, 2026
economy

Domestic Food Prices Eased in Liberia, but Imported Fuel Jumped in March

Domestic food prices fell about 1% over the year to March 2026, offering households rare relief, while imported fuel prices rose 12% in the month alone. The split shows how Liberia's cost of living turns on the divide between home-grown and imported goods.

TrueRate·Apr 2, 2026
forex

A Stronger Currency Eases Import Costs as the US Dollar Slips to L$184

The Liberian dollar closed March 2026 at L$183.93 per US dollar — about 8% stronger than a year earlier, supported by booming gold exports and steady remittances, though it has given back ground since the end of 2025. In a dual-currency, import-dependent economy, the rate shapes everything from fuel prices to inflation.

TrueRate·Apr 2, 2026
commodities

Iron-Ore Output Rebounds to 2.3 Million Tonnes in March

Iron-ore production reached 2.33 million metric tons in March 2026, far above the depressed level of a year earlier, while export earnings rose 47% to US$69 million. Volumes remain volatile and tied closely to global steel demand.

TrueRate·Apr 1, 2026
commodities

Exports Surge 58% to US$2.1 Billion, Powered by Gold

Total exports rose 57.9% to US$2.07 billion in 2025 on surging gold and iron-ore shipments, while imports climbed 55.4% to US$2.35 billion, widening the merchandise trade deficit to about US$281 million. The boom has reshaped Liberia's export base around gold.

TrueRate·Apr 1, 2026
analysis

Mining Output Tops US$1 Billion, Driving One-Fifth of Liberia's GDP

The value of mining and panning output rose 23% to over US$1 billion in 2025, about a fifth of GDP and the single biggest driver of last year's growth. The sector's rise brings export earnings and revenue — and a deepening concentration of the economy's fortunes.

TrueRate·Apr 1, 2026
economy

The Economy Grew 4.6% in 2025 — or 5.1%, Depending on Who's Counting

Liberia's economy expanded 4.6% in 2025, its strongest pace in three years, lifting GDP to US$5.16 billion as mining output jumped 23%. National statistics put growth half a point below the World Bank's 5.1% estimate — a reminder that headline numbers still depend on who is counting.

TrueRate·Apr 1, 2026
analysis

A Rare Current-Account Surplus, at Least by the Central Bank's Count

Liberia recorded a current-account surplus of about US$77 million for 2025 on the Central Bank's balance-of-payments data, sustained by US$941 million in remittances and transfers, even as the goods balance ran a US$281 million deficit. The World Bank, using a different method, reports a deficit — a divergence worth watching.

TrueRate·Mar 31, 2026
banking

Business Loans Get Pricier Even as Consumer Rates Fall

The average lending rate rose to 13.1% in February 2026 from 12.3% a year earlier, even as personal-loan and mortgage rates fell. Deposit returns stayed near 2%, keeping banks' margins wide and credit costly in an economy where formal borrowing is already scarce.

TrueRate·Mar 31, 2026
economy

Imports More Than Doubled in March, Exposing a Deep Dependence

Imports reached US$329 million in March 2026, more than double a year earlier, and totaled US$2.35 billion for 2025. The figures lay bare how dependent Liberia remains on foreign goods — from fuel and food to machinery — and the pressure that puts on the trade balance.

TrueRate·Mar 31, 2026
economy

Remittances Reach US$941m, the Backbone of Liberia's External Accounts

Inward transfers, largely remittances, totaled US$941 million in 2025 and US$225 million in the fourth quarter alone — the single largest inflow in Liberia's external accounts and the reason the current account stayed in surplus despite a wide trade deficit.

TrueRate·Mar 31, 2026
banking

Cash Outside Banks Jumped 22% in Liberia as Deposits Grew Slowly

Currency held outside banks rose about 22% over the year to February 2026, far outpacing growth in bank deposits. The pattern points to persistent cash preference in an economy where much activity stays informal — a drag on lending and on monetary policy.

TrueRate·Mar 30, 2026
commodities

Rubber Slumps: Output Down 30%, Export Earnings Cut in Half

Rubber production fell about 30% year-on-year in March 2026 and export earnings dropped 54% to US$7 million — a sharp setback for a traditional cash crop and major rural employer, and a stark contrast to Liberia's booming mineral exports.

TrueRate·Mar 30, 2026
economy

Services Quietly Remain the Biggest Engine of the Economy

Services output reached US$2.01 billion in 2025, up about 7%, remaining the biggest part of Liberia's economy ahead of agriculture and mining. The sector's breadth — trade, transport, hospitality and government — makes it the quiet backbone of domestic activity.

TrueRate·Mar 30, 2026
commodities

Palm Oil Jumps, Diamonds Double, Cocoa Slumps in Liberia's March Commodity Mix

Liberia's smaller commodities diverged in March 2026: palm-oil export earnings rose to US$6.6 million, diamond output more than doubled, and cocoa production fell 62%. The mixed quarter highlights both the promise and the fragility of efforts to diversify beyond gold and iron ore.

TrueRate·Mar 29, 2026
economy

Agriculture Employs the Most People but Grew the Slowest

Agriculture and fisheries output reached US$1.40 billion in 2025, up just 1.3% in value, even as the sector remains the country's largest source of livelihoods. The gap between agriculture's employment and its growth is a defining feature of Liberia's uneven expansion.

TrueRate·Mar 29, 2026
economy

Cement and Beverages Push Manufacturing Up 9%

Manufacturing output rose to US$331 million in 2025, up about 9%, with cement and beverage production posting strong gains. Small as a share of GDP, the sector's growth points to expanding domestic industry that could ease reliance on imports.

TrueRate·Mar 28, 2026

Economy

More economy ›
economy

Bottlers Ramp Up 20% as Consumer Spending Holds

TrueRate·Jun 1, 2026
economy

The State's Own Economic Output Barely Grew Last Year

TrueRate·May 25, 2026
economy

Homegrown Steel Output More Than Doubles in a Year

TrueRate·May 20, 2026
economy

Rice: The US$296 Million Staple With Outsized Political Weight

TrueRate·May 17, 2026

Markets & Forex

More markets ›
commodities

Cement Output Hits a Record as the Building Boom Rolls On

TrueRate·May 30, 2026
commodities

Palm Oil Rebounds to US$173 Million After Volatile Years

TrueRate·May 22, 2026
commodities

Vast Forests, Idle Trade: Why Forestry Is Stuck

TrueRate·May 15, 2026
commodities

Gold and Iron Ore Drive Mining Higher as Rubber Falls

TrueRate·Apr 2, 2026

Trade & Commodities

commodities

Cement Output Hits a Record as the Building Boom Rolls On

TrueRate · May 30, 2026

commodities

Palm Oil Rebounds to US$173 Million After Volatile Years

TrueRate · May 22, 2026

commodities

Vast Forests, Idle Trade: Why Forestry Is Stuck

TrueRate · May 15, 2026

commodities

Gold and Iron Ore Drive Mining Higher as Rubber Falls

TrueRate · Apr 2, 2026

Policy & Central Bank

banking

The Financial Sector Keeps Growing — but Not by Lending to Business

TrueRate·May 10, 2026
policy

Running Costs Crowd Out Investment in the National Budget

TrueRate·Apr 12, 2026
policy

Government Spending Lurches Month to Month, Bunching at Year-End

TrueRate·Apr 10, 2026
policy

Money Supply Swells 11% While the Central Bank Holds Steady

TrueRate·Apr 3, 2026

Opinion

TE

Why Prices Still Feel High Even as Inflation Cools

TrueRate Economics · Analysis · Jun 9, 2026

TE

A Two-Speed Economy: Minerals Race Ahead, Most People Don't

TrueRate Economics · Analysis · Jun 6, 2026

TE

Steady Taxes, Volatile Spending, Rising Debt: The 2026 Budget

TrueRate Economics · Analysis · Jun 4, 2026

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EKAN Connect Wants to Turn Every Chat Into a Checkout

technology

Monrovia Hustle: A Liberian Studio's Bet That West Africa Can Build a Global Video Game

technology

Inside HUIX-2099: The Monrovia Studio Building VR, AI and 3D Products for a Global Market

startups

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What a Liberian Open-World Game Says About the Future of African Digital Content

technology

Why Prices Still Feel High Even as Inflation Cools

analysis

A Two-Speed Economy: Minerals Race Ahead, Most People Don't

analysis
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